Abstract
BackgroundA rapidly evolving evidence suggests that smell and taste disturbance are common symptoms in COVID-19 infection. As yet there are no reports on duration and recovery rates. We set out to characterise patients reporting new onset smell and taste disturbance during the COVID-19 pandemic and report on early recovery rates.MethodsOnline Survey of patients reporting self-diagnosed new onset smell and taste disturbance during the COVID-19 pandemic, with 1 week follow-up.ResultsThree hundred eighty-two patents completed bot an initial and follow-up survey. 86.4% reported complete anosmia and a further 11.5% a very severe loss of smell at the time of completing the first survey. At follow-up 1 week later, there is already significant improvement in self-rating of severity of olfactory loss. 80.1% report lower severity scores at follow-up, 17.6% are unchanged and 1.9% are worse. 11.5% already report compete resolution at follow up, while 17.3% report persistent complete loss of smell, with reported duration being 1 to over 4 weeks. This is reflected in the overall cumulative improvement rate of 79% patients overall in the interval between surveys.ConclusionsA review of the growing evidence base supports the likelihood that out cohort have suffered olfactory loss as part of COVID-19 infection. While early recovery rates are encouraging, long term rates will need to be further investigated and there may be an increase in patients with persistent post-viral loss as a result of the pandemic.We further call for loss of sense of smell to be formerly recognised as a marker of COVID-19 infection.
Highlights
A rapidly evolving evidence suggests that smell and taste disturbance are common symptoms in COVID-19 infection
Many anecdotal reports of increased incidence of anosmia widely shared on medical discussion boards by surgeons from all regions managing a high incidence of COVID-19 cases
15 patients had been tested for COVID-19, but of those 80% tested positive for COVID-19
Summary
A rapidly evolving evidence suggests that smell and taste disturbance are common symptoms in COVID-19 infection. We set out to characterise patients reporting new onset smell and taste disturbance during the COVID-19 pandemic and report on early recovery rates. It is perhaps no surprise that alterations in sense of smell would be reported by patients with COVID-19. Reports of anosmia occurring in association with COVID-19 appeared in the press; in Germany, one study found that more than 2 in 3 confirmed reported loss of smell and taste (https://www.faz.net/aktuell/gesellschaft/ge sundheit/coronavirus/neue-corona-symptome-entdeckt-vir ologe-hendrik-streeck-zum-virus-16681450.html). In a study of 3191 COVID-19+ patients who were self-isolating at Hopkins et al Journal of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery (2020) 49:26 home with mild disease, 15.3% expressed smell or taste loss (https://news.joins.com/article/23738003?cloc=joongang-mh ome-group6&fbclid=IwAR33__i-aKtLN2MzCs5AE-). Many anecdotal reports of increased incidence of anosmia widely shared on medical discussion boards by surgeons from all regions managing a high incidence of COVID-19 cases
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